Freedom is the core national philosophy of the Yoon administration
The South Korean government will pursue “peace and stability on the
Korean Peninsula and denuclearization of North Korea in line with the
path to the four freedoms” this year
Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho holds a New Year’s Roundtable
Discussion with the presidents of four research institutions (February 5)
On February 5, Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho held a New Year’s
Roundtable Discussion with the theme “Assessing the Situation and
Devising Strategy for 2024, for a Unified Korean Peninsula that is
Free and at Peace” with presidents of four prominent research institutions.
The roundtable was attended by President Kim Chun Sig of the Korea
Institute for National Unification, Chancellor Park Cheol Hee of the
Korea National Diplomatic Academy, President Han Suk Hee of the
Institute for National Security Strategy, and Director-General Park
Young Jun of the Research Institute for National Security Affairs at
Korea National Defense University.
During the roundtable discussion, Minister Kim pointed out that the
North’s recent actions to deny and scratch out the idea of a unified
Korean people and unification is an act of tearing down the
foundations of hereditary succession of power itself and can lead to
the possibility of an ideological vacuum and confusion within the
North Korean regime. Furthermore, he emphasized that at times like
this, the government must unite the strength of the people and
steadfastly push for principle-based unification and North Korea
policies that are rooted in Article 3 and Article 4 of the Constitution.
In this regard, the South Korean government has announced that this
year it will spearhead the situation on the Korean Peninsula based on
universal values like individual freedoms and human rights and a
policy that aims to embrace the people of North Korea.
In particular, Minister Kim said that the government will formulate
North Korea policies and work towards the denuclearization of North
Korea from the perspective of the four freedoms, here referring to
“the freedom from the threat of nuclear war,” “the freedom of
association,” “the basic freedoms outlined in the Republic of Korea
Constitution,” and “the realization of freedom through peaceful
unification of the Korean Peninsula.”
